Domino.



No. 641,823. Patented Jan. 23,1900,

E. W. BLO 0M |NGDALE &. A. D'. KENYON.

DOMIN B. (Application flled Mar. 1, 899.)

(No Model.)

UNTTED STATES PATENT EEIcE.

EMANUEL W. BLOOMINGDALE AND ALAN D. KEN YON, OF NEl/V YORK, N. Y.; SAID KENYON ASSIGNOR TO SAID BLOOMINGDALE.

DOMINO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,323 dated January 23, 1900.

I Application filed March 1,1899- Serlal No. 707,283. (No model.)

To all whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that we, EMANUEL W. BLOOM- INGDALE and ALAN D. KENYON, of New York, county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dominoes, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the game of dominoes.

It has for its object to improve the game, to make the separate dominoes of such a shape that when played the line of dominoes will curve around, thus keeping both ends of the line always within easy and convenient reach of the players, and generally to improve the shape of the separate dominoes and the appearance of the line of dominoes when played.

It consists of the devices herein shown and described.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming part hereof we have shown and will now proceed to describe the preferred forms of my improved device, similar letters of reference in the different figures referring to corresponding parts.

Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved dominoes as. played so arranged that when the entire number of dominoes constituting the set are played they form a complete circle. Fig. 2 is a plan of a few dominoes as-played, the dominoes in this case forming part of the circumference of a larger circle. Fig. 3 is a plan of a single domino. Fig. 4 is a plan of a modified form of domino.

Heretofore dominoes have ordinarily been, made rectangular in horizontal cross-section, so thatthe dominoes when matched end to end form a straight line or lines having right angles only. In dominoes of this description the line of played dominoes quickly runs out of convenient handling distance of one or the other of the players who sit opposite one another and necessitates right-angled turns in the line to keep the line within sight and reaching distance at all. This often forms a serious objection to the game. W'ehave de vised an improved construction of domino by means of which the line of dominoes as they are played will curve around in the are of a circle, so that the two ends of the line will always be within sight and easy and convenient reach of both of the players. By means of our improved construction either end of any domino may be played at either end of the domino or the line of dominoes already played, the circular formation of the line being preserved in all cases and the lines of junction formed by the contacting faces of adjacent dominoes forming parts of imaginary radial lines meeting at a common center.

In the form of dominoes shown in the drawings, or represents the separate dominoes. Each domino is provided in the usual way with a middle division-line and a representation of a number or other suitable character upon each side of said division-line, each representation corresponding to similar representations upon some others of the dominoes of the set. For example, in the domino shown in Fig. 3, m is the middle division-line, upon one side of which the representation consists of three dots and upon the other five dots arranged in the usual manner. Each domino is provided at each end with two matching faces. The matching faces at one end of the domino are marked 0 d and at the other end b e. These two matching faces at each end of the domino are arranged at an angle to each other, as shown-in Fig. 3, the angle between the matching faces I) e being of course the same angle as that between the matching faces (1 c. The dominoes in a set of dominoes are of course preferably all made of the same size and shape.

In the preferred form of our improved dominoes the upper and lower sides f f are preferably made straight and parallel to each other and parallel to a plane drawn at right angles to the surface of the domino through the longitudinal median line it of the domino,

as shown in Fig. 3, the domino being symmetrical upon both sides of the said plane passing through theimaginary median line It.

Each domino is played by placing one of the matching faces of the proper end of the domino against the corresponding matching face of the proper domino on one end of the line of dominoes already played, and so on. By reason of the construction of the domino with the two matching faces at each end at an angle to each other the dominoes of the set can be played in a line, and the line of dominoes as they are played will curve around,

forming the are of a circle. The lines of junction formed by the contacting faces of adjacent dominoes of this line would, if continued inward, form radial lines 9 g, meeting in a common center It. By varying the angle between the matching sides at each end of each domino the curve will be made sharper or more gradual, the common center in the former case being nearer and in the latter case farther removed. In Fig. 1 we have shown the circle thus formed as of such a size as to be fully completed when all the twenty-eight pieces used in the ordinary domino-set are played. In Fig. 2 the angle between the matching faces is greater, so that a more gradual curve is given to the line of dominoes and a larger circle or the arc of a larger circle is accordingly made.

It will of course be understood that the angle between the matching faces should be the same in all dominoes of the same set.

The angle made by any two matching faces meeting each other should be sufficiently great to permit all or nearly all of the dominoes to be played before the circle formed by the line of played dominoes is completed. Preferably this angle should be great enough to permit all of the dominoes to be played before the circle is completed; but as it is very rare to have all the dominoes played in the game this is not absolutely essential. The angle, however, should be sufliciently great to permit nearly all the dominoes to be played.

Our improved domino has its greatest length at the center or upon the median line h and is shorter at the upper and lower sides f.

In our preferred form we have shown each domino as hexagonal in form, although such form is not essential to our broad invention. For example, we show a polygonal form in Fig. at in which there are more than six sides and in which the matching faces are separated by intervening faces Other variations in the form of the domino can also be made provided only the matching faces at each end of each domino are arranged at such an angle to each other that each domino can be played at either end of the domino or the line of dominoes theretofore played and provided the lines of junction formed by the contacting faces of adjacent dominoes would, if continued inward, form radial lines meeting at a common center.

The upper and lower sides ff we prefer to make, as shown in Fig. 3, straight and parallel to each other and to a plane passing at right angles to the surface of the domino through the median line 71. The forms of these sides, however, may be varied, as illustrated in Fig. 4, where the upper side is shown as curving and the lower side as fluted. The advantage of the form shown in Fig. 3 is that the dominoes can stand upright more easily than the other forms. The form shown in Fig. 4, however, can be played in a straight line in the old manner, if desired, by matching the faces 1' 'i to one another.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A set of dominoes, each domino having a middle division-line and a representation upon each side of said division-line, each representation corresponding to similar representations upon some others of the dominoes of the set and each domino having two matching faces at each end arranged at such an angle to each other that each domino can be played at either end of the domino or the line of dominoes theretofore played, and the lines of junction, formed by the contacting matching faces of adjacent dominoes, being such as, if continued inward, to form radial lines meeting in a common center, the angle made by two matching faces meeting each other being sufficiently great to permit all or a large number of the dominoes to be played before the circle formed by the line of played dominoes, is completed, whereby the dominoes of the set can be played in a line and the line of dominoes, when played, will form a circle or the arc of a circle.

2. A set of polygonal dominoes, each domino having a middle division-line and a representation upon each side of said divisionline, each representation corresponding to similar representations upon some others of the dominoes of the set and each domino having its upper and lower sides straight and parallel to each other and parallel to a plane passin g at right angles to the surface of the domino through the longitudinal median line of the same, andhaving two matching faces at each end arranged at such an angle to each other that each domino can be played at either end of the domino or the line of dominoes theretofore played,and the lines ofjunction,formed by the contacting matching faces of adjacent dominoes being such as, if continued inward, to form radial lines meeting in a common center, the angle made by two matching faces meeting each other being sufficiently great to permit all or a large number of the dominoes to be played before the circle formed by the line of played dominoes, is completed, whereby the dominoes of the set can be played in a line and the line of dominoes, when played, will form a circle or the are of a circle.

3. A set of polygonal dominoes, each domino having a middle division-line and a representation upon each side of said divisionline, each representation corresponding to similar representations upon some others of the dominoes of the set and each domino having its upper and lower sides straight and parallel to each other and parallel to a plane passing at right angles to the surface of the domino through the longitudinal median line of the same,said domino being symmetrically divided by said longitudinal median plane, and each domino having two matching faces at each end arranged at such an angle to each other that each domino can be played at either end of the domino or line of dominoes theretofore played, and the lines of junction, formed by the contacting matching faces of adjacent dominoes being such as, if continued inward, to form radial lines meeting in a common center, the angle made by two matching faces meeting each other being sufficiently great to permit all or alarge number of the dominoes to be played before the circle formed by the line of played dominoes,is completed,whereby the dominoes of the set can be played in a line and the line of dominoes, when played, will form a circle or the arc of a circle.

4. A set of polygonal dominoes, each domino having a middle division-line and a representation upon each side of said divisionline, each representation corresponding to similar representations upon some others of the dominoes of the set and each domino having its upper and lower sides straight and parallel to each other and parallel to a plane passing at right angles to the surface of the domino through the longitudinal median line of the same,said domino being symmetrically divided by said longitudinal median plane, the median line of the domino being longer than the upper and lower sides thereof, each domino having two matching faces at each end, arranged at such an angle to each other that each domino can be played at either end of the domino or line of dominoes theretofore played, and the lines of junction, formed by the contacting matching faces of adjacent dominoes, being such as, if continued inward, to form radial lines meeting in a common center, the angle made by two matching faces meeting each other being sufficiently great to permit all or a large number of the dominoes to be played before the circle formed by the line of played dominoes, is completed,whereby the dominoes of the set can be played in a line and the line of dominoes, when played, will form a circle or the arc of a circle.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMANUEL W. 'BLOOMINGDALE. ALAN 1), KENYON.

Witnesses:

EDWIN SEGER, GEO. W. MILLS, J r, 1 

